Onus on Lankan batsmen to score runs

by Sa'adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody said that he would be disappointed if none of his batsmen scored a century against Bangladesh in the second cricket Test starting at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium today.

Test minnows Bangladesh possess one of the weakest bowling attacks in Test cricket and three Sri Lankan batsmen got starts and scored half-centuries but failed to convert it into hundreds in the first Test played at the R. Premadasa Stadium last week.

Sri Lanka won that match easily by an innings and 96 runs inside three days to take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series. Tilan Samaraweera (78), Mahela Jayawardene (63) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (86) all gave false hopes of getting to a century but perished when in sight of one.

However Moody said: "I don't think the conditions were ideal for batting. The wicket didn't represent a good Test pitch. I believe we'll be playing on a very good cricket wicket here and if we don't score heavily and get some big scores, then I would be a little disappointed that our top order hadn't capitalized."

There could not be a better occasion to fulfil Moody's expectations; if Sanath Jayasuriya can score a century in what will be his 100th Test match for his country. Jayasuriya showed flashes of his brilliance in scoring 46 off 54 balls in the first Test before a stunning catch by Aftab Ahmed at extra cover to a full blooded drive rudely cut short his innings.

If at all there is anyone to make use of an occasion like this, Jayasuriya is the man for it. Having accumulated over 6500 Test runs against some of the best bowlers in the world, Jayasuriya should feel comfortable with Bangladesh's friendly bowling attack which lacks of any world class performers to run through a strong batting side like Sri Lanka.

Their attack has been weakened further by the absence of two front line bowlers Masrafe Mortaza and Tapash Baisya who have returned home because of injuries.

Not many of the 32 players who have achieved the feat of 100 Tests have celebrated the occasion with a hundred. England's Colin Cowdrey was not only the first cricketer to play in a century of Tests but he also made a hundred in that match scoring 104 against Australia at Edgbaston in 1968.

The last batsman to do so was Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq against India in March this year when he scored an inspiring 184 to steer his team to a series leveling victory at Bangalore. Jayasuriya would join an elite band if he emulates them.

Sri Lanka is likely to go with an unchanged side and are looking to wrap up the series 2-0. Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore said that he was looking for a better performance from his batsmen after they had given away the initiative in the first Test.

"A score of 155-2 gives every indication that the boys can go on and put up a decent total. It is unfortunate they didn't. I know they are capable of being more competitive," said Whatmore.

From a relatively strong position Bangladesh collapsed to 188 all out in their first innings and from there onwards were never given a chance to come back. "I think it's a little bit of indiscretion on their part. It is exclusively not a problem with Bangladesh but with all teams.

It is just a case of perseverance," said Whatmore. "I have been trying to motivate them into understanding not to hand over a good position to the opponents. You need to get tough. They have played enough Test matches to understand that."

SRI LANKA (from): Marvan Atapattu (captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Tilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chaminda Vaas, Rangana Herath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dilhara Fernando Lasith Malinga, Russel Arnold, Farveez Maharoof Gayan Wijekoon, Shantha Kalavitigoda.

BANGLADESH: (from): Habibul Bashar (captain), Javed Omar, Nafees Iqbal, Thushar Imran, Mohammed Ashraful, Shahriar Nafees, Aftab Ahmed, Khaled Mashud, Syed Rasel, Shahadat Hossain, Enamul Haque, Mohammed Rafique.

UMPIRES: Steve Bucknor (West Indies) and Billy Bowden (New Zealand),

TV umpire: Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka),

Match Referee: Clive Lloyd (West Indies).